The first-ever Ikorodu Economic Summit (IES) has provided an opportunity for policy makers, captains of industry, scholars and others to brainstorm on roadmap for Ikorodu division’s sustainable developments.

The event, which took place at the Origin Zoo & Gardens on Thursday, February 22, 2018, and tagged, “Stabilizing the Local Economy”, was organized by the Advocacy for Community Economic Development (A-CED) in conjunction with Ikorodu-Oga Development Association (IKODASS).

Otunba Ganiyu Abiru , IKODASS Chairman , in his welcome address stated that the collaboration between IKODASS and A-CED was to address the seemingly slow pace of Ikorodu division’s economic growth.

“The event collaboratively came into being as a consequence of discussions between the executive members of Ikorodu-Oga Development Association (IKODASS) and members of an NGO organization, Advocacy for Community Economic Development (A-CED) over the seemingly slow pace of our economic growth in the division and wide scale unemployment which has brought about feelings of hopelessness and despair among our able bodied youths”, Otumba Abiru revealed.

“The economic scenario of our division calls for a serious review in order to stem the tide of decline we are gradually drifting into.

“This summit, therefore, would want to look at where we were, where we are really are and where we should be if our natural and human potentials are maximally utilized”, said the IKODASS Chairman.

Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, in her keynote address stated that the Ikorodu Economic Summit would encourage the development of local content and boost the economy of the State.

She added that the fast-changing economic space is such that clearly requires proper economic analysis and need to facilitate investments into key areas that would catalyze growth and development to enable the State to compete with other emerging economies in the world.

“The current economic reality in the country as a whole has placed responsibility on the Lagos State Government to encourage Local Government and Community Associations to harness their potentials with a view to having a dynamic and expanding economy, thereby, facilitating job creation and all its attendants’ consequences”, she said.

She stated that the summit would complement the efforts of the present administration in Lagos State in boosting and stabilizing the economy of various communities in the state through numerous initiatives, reforms, projects and programmes for the continued growth and development of the State’s economy.

Oladunjoye used the opportunity of the occasion to task Ikorodu indigenes to leverage on the high momentum with which the division is growing and invest in key sectors of the socio-economic architecture of the area to sustain the current growth and development in the division.

“You will all agree with me that Ikorodu has grown beyond a petty trading location to an emerging commercial and industrial hub that is being supported by enabling infrastructure by the State Government. I see no reason why indigenes of Ikorodu will find it difficult to invest here. You have the market, the population”.

“Apart from this, you also have the industrial facilities; you have the necessary social environment that typifies a metropolitan city, and most importantly, deployment of massive security apparatus by the State Government in the division. This will help to mitigate all forms of security challenges. So, the ball is in your court to grow Ikorodu division to an enviable investment haven” , the Commissioner stated.

She highlighted some infrastructural provisions by the State Government within the axis to include the ongoing construction of Owutu-Ishawo-Arepo Road to link Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, ongoing construction of Igbe-Ginti-Road up to Ijede Road Junction; construction of Government Chalet at the Lagoon front site in Ikorodu division, construction of a massive mall to be built in the division (Site already approved by the Governor).

All of these projects, according to her, are meant to upscale and align the division with cosmopolitan Lagos and consolidate on the prime position of Lagos State as the industrial and commercial nerve centre of the country and indeed the entire West Africa sub-region.

He called for searchlight to be beamed on Owutu, Ipakodo, Ibeshe, Offin, Bayeku, Ijede and Imota which are coastal areas for development.

His words, “Whereas many communities had preserved their coastlines and utilized it to boost the local economy, other communities had allowed hawkers to mine their endowment and cart away huge profits without recourse to the local economy.”

“This contribution is a clarion call to all communities in Ikorodu division to profit from there endowment, and through Advocacy for Community Economic Development, pay attention to the coastline.

“Ikorodu division should let the future bring forth another Victoria Island, Banana Island, Atlantic City and produce another Seattle in Washington State, USA, or Dubai in United Arab Emirate” , he said while challenging communities in Ikorodu division.

He stated that Ikorodu with vast coastline from Majidun to Egbin should be a thriving business in water transportation.

Proffering way forward for Ikorodu Economic Development, Dr Bawa-Allah called for the creation of Ikorodu Division Economic Council (IKODEC) with Ayangbure of Ikorodu as chairman and other Obas in the division as members.

Other proposed members of IKODEC are Chairman, Ikorodu-Oga Development Association (IKODASS), Chairman, Advocacy for Community Economic Development (A-CED) and an Executive Secretary.

Mr Timothy Okeowo, a lecturer in the department of Agricultural Extension and Management, Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, while presenting his paper titled, “Reinventing Ikorodu Division As Food Basket of Lagos State In stabilizing Local Economy”, identified suitable lands for agriculture, farm settlement schemes, livestock farm, fish farm, Waste to Wealth Organic conversion plant, High capacity rice processing mill and Lagos State Polytechnic as sources of strength for agricultural development in Ikorodu division .

He also identified poor market assurance, inadequate processing capacity, poor infrastructural development, loss of value of dignity of labour and inadequate education among others as weaknesses hampering agricultural development in the division.

Okeowo, thereafter, called for human capacity building, addressing the challenges of infrastructures, need for transformational leadership, government intervention, fixing agricultural value chain, access to intervention funds, revival of cultural value and creation of a conducive environment for private sector investments among others as strategies for the repositioning of agric business for economic stability in the division.

Prince Abiola Kosoko, the Chief Executive Officer, Origin Zoo and Gardens, in his paper on “Tourism As A Catalyst For Economic Prosperity In Ikorodu Division”, stated that tourism potential of the division has never been considered useful platform to drive the economy of the division.

According to him, “This has contributed to the extinction of those attractions that fall within the natural categories and a few that are man-made were destroyed for alternative economical gains that often resulted in abandoned projects with negative effects on the social development of the division.

“A painful one is the Majidun and Itowolo old bridges removed to an unknown destination.”

The first-ever Ikorodu Economic Summit (IES) provided an opportunity for the policy makers, captains of industry, scholars and others to brainstorm on roadmap to Ikorodu division’s sustainable developments.

The event which took place at Origin Zoo & Gardens on Thursday, February 22, 2018, and tagged, “Stabilizing the Local Economy” was organized by the Advocacy for Community Economic Development (A-CED) in conjunction with Ikorodu-Oga Development Association (IKODAS).

Otunba Ganiyu Abiru, Chairman, Ikorodu-Oga Development Association (IKODASS) in welcome address stated that collaboration between IKODASS and A-CED was to address the seemingly slow pace of Ikorodu division economic growth.

“The event collaboratively came into being as a consequence of discussions between the executive members of Ikorodu-Oga Development association (IKODASS) and members of an NGO organization, Advocacy for Community Economic Development (A-CED) over the seemingly slow pace of our economic growth in the division and wide scale unemployment which ahs brought about feelings of hopelessness and despair among our able bodied youths” Otumba Abiru revealed

“The economic scenario of our division calls for a serious review in order to stem the tide of decline we are gradually drifting into.

“This summit therefore would want to look at where we were, where we are really are and where we should be if our natural and human potentials are maximally utilized” said IKODASS Chairman

Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and cooperatives, in her keynote address stated that the Ikorodu Economic Summit will encourage the development of local content and boost the economy of the State.

She added that the fast-changing economic space is such that clearly requires proper economic analysis and need to facilitate investments into key areas that would catalyze growth and development to enable the State to compete with other emerging economies in the world.

“The current economic reality in the country as a whole has placed responsibility on the Lagos State Government to encourage Local Government and Community Associations to harness their potentials with a view to having a dynamic and expanding economy thereby facilitating job creation and all its attendants’ consequences”, she said.

She stated that the summit will complement the efforts of the present administration in Lagos State in boosting and stabilizing the economy of various communities in the state through numerous initiatives, reforms, projects and programmes for the continued growth and development of the state economy.

Oladunjoye used the opportunity of the occasion to task Ikorodu indigenes to leverage on the high momentum with which the Division is growing and invest in key sectors of the socio-economic architecture of the area to sustain the current growth and development in the Division.

“You will all agree with me that Ikorodu has grown beyond a petty trading location to an emerging commercial and industrial hub that is being supported by enabling infrastructure by the State Government. I see no reason why indigenes of Ikorodu will find it difficult to invest here. You have the market, the population”.

“Apart from this, you also have the industrial facilities; you have the necessary social environment that typifies a metropolitan city, and most importantly, deployment of massive security apparatus by the State Government in the division. This will help to mitigate all forms of security challenges. So the ball is in your court to grow the Ikorodu Division to an enviable investment haven.” The Commissioner stated.

She highlighted some infrastructural provisions by the State Government within the axis to include the ongoing construction of Owutu-Ishawo-Arepo Road to link Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, ongoing construction of Igbe-Ginti-Road up to Ijede Road Junction; construction of Government Chalet at the Lagoon front site in Ikorodu Division, construction of a massive mall to be built in Ikorodu Division (Site already approved by the Governor).

All of these projects, according to her, are meant to upscale and align the Ikorodu Division with cosmopolitan Lagos and consolidate on the prime position of Lagos State as the industrial and commercial nerve centre of the country and indeed the entire West Africa sub-region.

He called for searchlight to be beamed on Owutu, Ipakodo, Ibeshe, Offin, Bayeku, Ijede and Imota which are coastal areas for development

“whereas many communities had preserved their coastlines and utilized it to boost the local economy other communities had allowed hawkers to mine their endowment and cart away huge profits without recourse to the local economy”

“This contribution is a clarion call to all communities in Ikorodu division to profit from their endowment, and through Advocacy for Community Economic Development pay attention to the coastline.

“Ikorodu division should let the future bring forth another Victoria Island, Banana Island, Atlantic City and produce another Seattle in Washington State, USA, or Dubai in United Arab Emirate” he challenged communities in Ikorodu division

He stated that Ikorodu with vast coastline from Majidun to Egbin should be a thriving business in water transportation.

Proffering way forward for Ikorodu Economic Development, Dr Bawa-Allah called for the creation for the creation of Ikorodu Division economic Council (IKODEC) with Ayangbure of Ikorodu as chairman and other Obas in the division as members.

Other members proposed are Chairman, Ikorodu-Oga Development Association (IKODASS), Chairman, Advocacy for Community Economic Development (A_CED) and an Executive Secretary.

Mr Timothy Okeowo, a lecturer in the department of Agricultural Extension and Management, Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, In his own presentation at the summit titled, “Reinventing Ikorodu Division As Food Basket of Lagos State In stabilizing Local Economy” identified suitable lands for agriculture, farm settlement schemes, livestock farm, fish farm, Waste to Wealth Organic conversion plant, High capacity rice processing mill and Lagos State Polytechnic as sources of strength for agricultural development in Ikorodiu

Okeowo, thereafter, called for human capacity building, addressing the challenges of infrastructures, need for transformational leadership, government intervention, fixing agricultural value chain, access to intervention funds, revival of cultural value and creation of a conducive environment for private sector investments among others as strategies for the repositioning of agric-business for economic stability in the division.

Prince Abiola Kosoko, the Chief Executive Officer, Origin Zoo and Gardens in his paper on “Tourism As A Catalyst For economic Prosperity In Ikorodu Division” stated that tourism potential of the division as never been considered useful platform to drive the economy of the division.

According to him, “This has contributed to the extinction of those attractions that falls within the natural categories and a few that are man-made were destroyed for alternative economical gains that are often resulted into abandoned projects with negative effects on the social development of the division.

“A painful one is the Majidun and Itowolo old bridges removed to an unknown destination